Playing surface



Aug. 21, 1934.

E. J. WINKLEMAN PLAYING SURFACE Filed Sept. 17, 1930 fl-NE lNVENToR Edw rd J. winklernc n b 7 CW @MW WW his @ffornys in whichit is propelled.

Patented Aug. 21,

PLAYING SURFACE Edward J. Winkleman, Oalimont, Pa. Application September 17, 1930, Serial No. 482,413

5 laims.

This invention relates to aplaying surface for use in miniature golf courses and the like;

In a miniature golf course it is impossible-to employ a natural turf, because the service is so severe that turf will rapidly be destroyed. Various compositions have been used to take the place of turf, on the theory that they will provide a surface sufficiently level to permit a golf ball to roll truly on them, while 'ering a resistance to the progress of the ball substantially equal to the resistance offered by cut grass.

The compositions which have been used cornprise various materials such as cottonseed hulls, feathers, sand, and ground substances'in various combinations. Most such combinations require a viscous binder such as an oil, asphalt, or other bituminous material, and all surfacing compositions previously used have not proved suflficiently satisfactory. The objections to the previous surfacing compositioned are that if a binder which hardens on exposure is used, it becomes impossible to so roll the surfacing material asto render it free from ridges or protuberances, which deflect a ball rolling on the surface from the true line If the binder is soft enough to permit accurate rolling, it becomes sticky, and by adhering to a ball prevents it from rolling in the straight line in which it is propel-led. Where viscous binders are used their consistency isvariable, being hard and not susceptible to rolling in cold weather, and being unduly soft and sticky in hot weather.

All of the materials previously used for surfacing miniature golf courses are open to the objection that masses of material are torn loose by the shoes of players, or by the clubs used in similar uses, which is so coherent as to provide; an under surface which will bear a considerable weight concentrated on a" relatively small area without having indentations of material depth made therein, and which will not be scuffed to a material depth by the feet of players or the im-v plements of the game played on it.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 1 material which may be readily rolled to givean accurate playing surface, and which may be brushed to the desired extent to provide a super iicial roughening which simulates the playing, qualities of cut grass.

In order to provide a playing surface having 0' the desired characteristics I use as my primary material a substance which has inherent cementing properties; and regulate the cementing properties of this material by the addition of other material, or materials, which may be considered as a diluent to prevent the formation of an unduly cemented mass, and which in themselvesare suitable for producing the underlying structure and actual playing surface which I desire. As my primary material I use granulated blast furnace slag, and desirably select slag of such particle size (either occurringnaturally or by crushing larger particles) that the particles are ap proximately the size of coarse sand. To this material I add a vegetable material in suitably divided form, and commingle it with the slag so that it tends to separate slag particles. If granulated slag were to be used alone it would be" difii-' cult to obtain a playingsurface which would offer resistance to the rolling of a ball thereon. 0 It would also be so closely compacted as to lack the resiliency or sprin'giness which is obtained by commingling the vegetable matter with the slag particles.

As a typical example of my composition I may 5 take 8 parts by volume of granulated slag, 3 parts by volume of relatively coarse sawdust and part by volume of wood flour.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a sectionalview through thy-surfacing mass as iniuarly laid and compacted; and Figure 2 is a sectional View throughthe mass" showing it rougherred on its upper face preparatory to use.

In preparing the surface the ingredients" are" thoroughly mixed, are placed inposition on the underlying base which is to be surfaced, and are" thoroughly wet down with water. Tli e mass is then rolled to the desired initial compactness,

i and is allowed to set.

As shown in Figure 1 of the drawing the miffed 10 mass, as compacted by rolling or tariiping', coiiiprises the particles of slag which are: in sonic instances mutually separated the vegetable matter; The" vegetable material or course also" limits the area of contact between individual slag 106 particles. The surfacing as thus primarily placed may be of any desired depth, but for miniature golf courses I have found suitable a depthof one inch, more or less.

When the mass of the material has set to the 11 0 desired extent I brush the face of the material sufficiently to loosen it to an appreciable depth.

This brushing separates the particles of slag with the particles of sawdust or other suitable vege- 5 table material. This gives a playing face which is fundamentally smooth, but which is SllffiClBl'ltly loose to retard the movement of a ball rolling thereover.

As will be seen from the drawing, the underlying body 1 of the composition comprises slag particles, mutual'contact between which is limited by the vegetable material, and the whole provides a compact weight supporting body which may receive a smooth face 2 by rolling or tampl5 ing. Wh n brushed, the playing face 3 of loose material is supported directly by a smooth face 2 on the still compacted body 1.'

Desirably the surfacing is moistened from time to time throughout its mass in order to preserve the compactness of the underlying body. When this is done it is again rolled to provide the smooth face 2,'and is again brushed to provide the overlying race 3 of loose material. Additional composition may be added and rolled into the mass from time to time as the depth is lessened in use by loss of a portion of the materials constituting the upper loosened face.

It will be observed that the general cohesion of the mass is maintained by. moistening, rather than by exposure to drying. This in itself renders my composition far superior to those which comprise a binding material hardened by exposure to the air, inasmuch as it permits a regulation of the compactness in the mass, which is not possible with compositions employing a vistake up moisture from the atmosphere I may desirably add a deliquescent salt, such as calcium chloride. When used, this salt lessens the frequency with which the surfacing should be mois- -'tened. I may also add a green mineral coloring to color the granulated slag,"and green dye to color the vegetable material.

In place of sawdust I may use finely ground,

As above indicated, the great, advantages of" my playing surface are that the body of the composition will remain compact, and provide an underlying face which is smooth and capable of sustaining concentrated weights and blows without receiving, indentations, while the nature of the compositionalso permits its face to be loosc'i ened to 'give a regulated resistance to rolling movement of aball. t

It may be noted that I may varythe depth of the loosened material .to any desired degree in order to simulate the resistance of grass cut to as various lengths. Thus on the fairway of a minia- '-""ture golf course, I may brushthe dressing to a greater depth than I do on the greens. This gives a playing surface like that of the fairway of a golf course, while the less deeply brushed cous binder. In order that the composition may material on the greens gives the effect of a fine and closely cropped turf. This variation is of great advantage where the fairways of the course are made of relatively great length, with a View to employing various golf strokes other than a putting stroke.

, While both slag and sawdust have been used separately in surfacing compositions, I am not aware that sawdust or its equivalent vegetable material has previously been mixed with granulated slag to control the setting or cementing properties of the slag.

I claim as my invention:

' 1. A composition for playing courts comprising granulated blast furnace slag having a general particle size not materially greater than that of coarse sand, sawdust, and a vegetable material in more finely divided condition-than the sawdust, the sawdust and other vegetable material being included as an adhesion tempering diluent modifying the cementing action of the granulated blast furnace slag and in a quantity sufficient to give to the composition a consistency brushable to provide a surface of particles detached from the underlying mass of material.

2. A composition for playing courts having a consistency brushable to provide a surface of particles detached from the underlying mass of material comprising two parts by volume of granulated blast furnace slag of a particle size approximating that of coarse sand, and an adhesion tempering diluent for the granulated blast furnace slag consisting of one part by volume of divided vegetable material having an average particie size no greater than that of sawdust as commonly produced.

3. The method of making a playing court having a surface of particles detached from an underlying compact and resilient mass, which consists in commingling with blast furnace slag of small particle size an adhesion tempering diluent for the cementing properties of the slag in the form of divided vegetable material in small particle size, wetting the commingled mass of slag and'divided vegetable material, compacting the mass in layer of substantial depth, after drying of the surface material of the mass by evaporation loosening the surface of the mass as by brushing to detach surface particles from the underlying mass and form a surface of loose particles on the underlying compacted mass.

4. A composition for playing courts comprising granulated blast furnace slag having a gen eral particle size not materially greater than'that of coarse sand, and sawdust as an adhesion tempering diluent modifying the cementing action of the blast furnace slag and in a quantity sufficient to give to the composition a consistency brushable to provide a surface of particles detached from the underlying mass of material.

5. A composition for playing courts comprising granulated blast furnace slag having a general particle size not materially greater than that of coarse sand, and divided vegetable material serving as an adhesion tempering diluent ofthe blast 

